BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 9-11, 2018) — Law enforcement and policing are two related but different activities. Ideally, they work together in a complementary, apolitical fashion. In practicality, that is often not the case. Where Berkshire County proceeds with respect to this “similar difference” […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 7, 2018) — Let us all call twilight hours down from the good Lord’s throne. Election Day is ovah! That means all those blighty lawn signs and other campaign-related flotsam can join hands with George Jetsam and make its way with Astro’s […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY-TUESDAY NOV. 5-6, 2018) — OK, here’s the deal. You vote or don’t vote today. The latter option, unfortunately, may apply to most of the electorate. Either way, you have a choice for district attorney, one that Berkshire County must live with for six […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 3-5, 2018) — On this weekend prior to Tuesday’s election, THE PLANET shares a summary of our recent discussions with both camps in the heated race for Berkshire County District Attorney. Incumbent Paul Caccaviello’s write-in campaign is challenging newcomer Andrea Harrington, who won […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY OCT. 30-31, 2018) — Incumbent District Attorney Paul Caccaviello, mounting a write-in campaign against Andrea Harrington, accused Harrington of conducting a misinformation campaign designed to confuse voters on Election Day, Nov. 6. Harrington beat Caccaviello in the September primary to win the official […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 29, 2018) — “They will not win out.” Pittsburgh, Pa. mayor Bill Peduto spoke those brave words in the wake of the latest installment of “BLAM! Great American Gunfire Cliché … or is it our newest “reality TV” show? THE PLANET refers […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 26-8, 2018) — Given her refusal to debate incumbent district attorney Paul Caccaviello in the final stretch of the general election for District Attorney as well as ignoring this writer’s previous two requests for comment, it’s clear that Andrea Harrington […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 24, 2018) — Many people have contacted THE PLANET, publicly and privately, puzzled at The Boring Broadsheet‘s odd coverage of the Berkshire County District Attorney’s race, a contest that culminates Tuesday Nov. 6. The BB has published the usual campaign drivel taken straight from […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 22, 2018) — Who knows what difference endorsements make? THE PLANET says it depends on the particular circumstances. Who is endorsing whom? Why? When? Under what conditions? They therefore can help or hurt, marginally most likely either way. All things being equal, endorsements […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 19-21, 2018) — Okay, with the metal molten and forming rivers from the incendiary D.A.’s race … with the site traffic hitting all-time highs, … with the comments section riding rationality’s rails only to veer off both left and right […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 17, 2018) — THE PLANET can tell there are more developments in the white-hot District Attorney’s race than the number of flies buzzing a horse-trader’s mule. Lawyer Judith Knight, who took 5,000 votes in the September primary won by a slim 700 votes […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 15, 2018) — When THE PLANET broke the story about Andrea Harrington’s September, post-victory phone call to Melissa Mazzeo, in which Mazzeo says the would-be district attorney threatened her, people wondered why the local mainstream media didn’t pick up on it. They also asked why […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 12-14, 2018) — THE PLANET‘s coverage of the District Attorney’s race in Berkshire County continues today with an interview with acting D.A. Paul Caccaviello. As you most likely know, Caccaviello is mounting a sticker run against Democratic Party primary winner Andrew […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 10, 2018) — Cleaning out the notebook, THE PLANET came across three items worthy of comment. (1) THE WARREN REPORT “Sit down and shut up.” That’s our message to Mass. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who politicked in Washington last Thursday, encouraging law breaking […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, COLUMBUS DAY, 2018) — Happy Columbus Day. As for Indigenous People’s Day, it can sail away on either the Nina, the Pinta, or the Santa Maria. With luck, it will hit an iceberg and join Leo DeCaprio on the bottom of the North Atlantic […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 5-7, 2018) — Will Andrea Harrington become the next Berkshire County district attorney? Here is the case for it. Call it THE PLANET‘s version of “equal time” — our way of playing Devil’s Advocate for both Paul Caccaviello and Harrington. (1) […]
